Monitoring History

1991

Federal government lists first salmon as endangered.

1998

The state Legislature calls for a statewide strategy on salmon recovery, including monitoring.

1999

The Statewide Strategy to Recover Salmon:  Extinction is Not an Option is published and includes a call for monitoring. The state Legislature asks the Independent Science Panel to make recommendations on monitoring by December 2000.

2000

The Washington State Legislature passed Substitute Senate Bill 5637, creating a Monitoring Oversight Committee and tasking it with developing a comprehensive, statewide strategy for monitoring watershed health with an emphasis on salmon recovery.

2002

The Washington Comprehensive Monitoring Strategy and Action Plan for Watershed Health and Salmon Recovery is published. One of the key recommendations of the strategy was the development of a permanent watershed monitoring council to serve as a central point of coordination for monitoring.

2004

Governor Gary Locke signed Executive Order 04-03 creating the Governor’s Forum on Monitoring Salmon Recovery and Watershed Health. The forum first met in August 2004.

2007

The Washington State Legislature created the Washington Forum on Monitoring Salmon Recovery and Watershed Health (Revised Code of Washington 77.85.250).